Honeywell, the multinational conglomerate known for its air purifiers and smart home devices, has ventured into the true wireless earbud market with the Trueno U5100. This new offering aims to deliver a premium audio experience at an affordable price point. But how does it stack up against the competition? In this comprehensive Honeywell Trueno U5100 review, we’ll delve into its design, performance, battery life, and overall value proposition to help you decide if it’s the right fit for you.
Design and Build: Snug Fit, Average Materials
The Honeywell Trueno U5100’s design prioritizes comfort over premium aesthetics. The charging case and earbuds are constructed from lightweight plastic that feels decent but not exceptional. While the smooth finish is pleasant to the touch, the hinge connecting the case lid feels a bit flimsy.
On the earbuds themselves, the Honeywell logo adorns the stem, accompanied by a matte finish. Each bud features LED indicators that provide visual cues for battery life and connection status. An additional LED indicator sits on the front of the charging case.
The snug and comfortable fit is the true highlight of the Trueno U5100’s design. The lightweight earbuds stayed securely in place during three hours of cycling on bumpy city roads, a testament to their secure design. Additionally, the IPX5 rating ensures sweat and light splashes won’t damage the earbuds, making them suitable for workouts or light rain.
The touch controls located on the earbud stem are responsive and allow for playback control, volume adjustments, and switching between noise cancellation modes. However, unlike some competitors, these controls cannot be customized.
Performance: Punching Above Its Weight Class
Despite the affordable price tag, the Honeywell Trueno U5100 packs a punch in the audio department. Equipped with 10mm drivers, the earbuds deliver clear and balanced sound with good instrument separation. Unlike many budget-friendly earbuds that overemphasize bass, the Trueno U5100 maintains a balanced soundscape where vocals and instruments shine through.
At moderate listening volumes (around 60%), the audio quality is surprisingly good. However, pushing the volume to the upper limits (around 90% or higher) can result in a slight dip in audio quality.
For calls, the Trueno U5100 utilizes six microphones for clear voice transmission. While suitable for indoor calls, outdoor environments with significant ambient noise can affect call quality.
Gamers will appreciate the inclusion of a dedicated gaming mode that reduces audio latency to below 50ms, minimizing audio delays during gameplay.
For noise cancellation, the Trueno U5100 employs a hybrid approach combining active noise cancellation (ANC) and passive noise isolation. This setup effectively cancels out ambient noise indoors and traffic sounds to a good degree. However, very loud noises like car horns or rumbling engines might still be audible. For situations where you need to be aware of your surroundings, a transparency mode allows you to hear ambient sounds clearly.
Battery Life and Charging: Long Playtime, Speedy Refueling
The Honeywell Trueno U5100 boasts impressive battery life. The earbuds and charging case combined offer up to 62 hours of playback with ANC turned off and 44 hours with ANC enabled, according to Honeywell’s claims. During testing, we achieved a solid 7 hours of playback on a single charge, exceeding the average for true wireless earbuds.
The case features a USB Type-C port for fast charging. Honeywell claims a 10-minute charge can deliver 400 minutes of playback with ANC on and 600 minutes with ANC off. While wireless charging is absent, it’s not a surprising omission considering the Trueno U5100’s budget-conscious price point.
Verdict: A Solid Contender for Budget-Minded Listeners
At a price point of around Rs 4,149 on Amazon India, the Honeywell Trueno U5100 offers a compelling proposition for budget-conscious listeners. The comfortable design ensures a secure and fatigue-free fit, while the surprisingly good audio quality delivers a balanced and enjoyable listening experience.
The hybrid noise cancellation effectively reduces ambient noise, and the long battery life with fast charging support is a major bonus. However, the build quality feels a bit average, and the lack of a companion app for EQ adjustments and customizable controls is a minor drawback.
Overall, the Honeywell Trueno U5100 prioritizes the essentials – comfort, good sound quality, and solid noise cancellation – making them a strong recommendation for those seeking a reliable and affordable pair of true wireless earbuds.
FAQs
Q: How does the Honeywell Trueno U5100 compare to other earbuds in the same price range?
A: The Trueno U5100 holds its own against competitors in its price bracket. It offers a comfortable fit, good audio quality with balanced sound, and effective noise cancellation for the price. However, some competitors might boast slightly better build quality or app support with customizable EQs.
Q: Is the Honeywell Trueno U5100 good for working out?
A: Yes, the Trueno U5100’s snug fit and IPX5 water resistance rating make them suitable for workouts or light rain. However, some users might prefer earbuds with a more secure wingtip design for intense workouts.
Q: Does the Honeywell Trueno U5100 have a microphone?
A: Yes, the Trueno U5100 features six microphones for clear voice transmission during calls. While suitable for indoor calls, outdoor environments with significant noise can affect call quality.
Q: Does the charging case support wireless charging?
A: No, the charging case for the Honeywell Trueno U5100 utilizes a USB Type-C port for fast charging but does not support wireless charging.
Q: Is the Honeywell Trueno U5100 app enabled?
A: No, the Honeywell Trueno U5100 does not have a dedicated app. This means you won’t have access to features like customizable EQ adjustments or control remapping.
